Surface condenser.



T. C. McBRIDE.

SURFACE CONDENSER.

APPLICATION FILED 1AM.14.1916.

1 ,239, 1 98. Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

R A Inca/d0 W/c i I; M515 5 THOMAS\C- MOBRIDE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SURFACE CONDENSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 191 '7,

Application filed January 14, 1916. Serial No. 72,084.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. MCBRIDE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Surface Condensers, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same. 7

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement of tubes in surface condensers and similar apparatus in which vapors are cooled or condensed, by which distribution of the steam and the condensing effect of the tubes shall be improved, and the water of condensation shall pass through the condenser in such a manner as to avoid blanketing the tubes, thus securing the maximum amount of condensing work from all parts of the condensing surface, and I secure these results by roviding open spaces or lanes within the tu e nests on the side of the tube nests opposite that at which the steam enters the nest, thus forming exit lanes into which the Water of condensation is swept and through which it falls or passes to the hot well or next nest of tubes, these exit lanes preferably being combined with inlet lanes on the sides at which the steam enters the bank of tubes in such a manner as to divide the tubes into groups that secure substantially the same frictional resistance to each part of the banks of tubes and reduce this frictional resistance largely as compared with prior condenser tube arrangemeuts.

For a full understanding of the invention, a detailed description of constructions embodying the same in preferred forms will now be given, in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and the features forming the invention then be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic vertical cross section of a two-pass condenser, with vertical exit lanes in both nests of tubes, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a two-pass condenser with a horizontal exit lane in the lower nest of tubes.

Referring to the drawings, and now especially to Fig. 1, A is the condenser hell having steam inlet B at the top, hot w 11 C at the bottom, the usual two nests of tubes D, E, one above the other, through which the condensing water passes successively, and the air cooler F separated from the tubes above it by the partition 10 and having the air outlet 11, all common in this class of condensers.

The upper nest of tubes D is shown as divided by three steam inlet lanes a, a, a extending into the nest of tubes from the to or where the steam enters, and four exit lanes 6, b, b, 5 extending vertically into the nest of tubes from the space below the nest D on the side opposite that at which the steam enters, and the lower nest of tubes E is similarly divided by three inlet lanes 0 and four exit lanes 6.

It will be seen that these lanes divide the tube nests so that the steam passes over substantially the same number of tubes between'the lanes in each part of the bank of tubes, thu equalizing the friction, and that the tubes are divided by the lanes into comparatively small groups, so that the friction is reduced to a minimum, while the use of steam distributing baliles, with their consequent friction, is avoided. The steam entering the condenser and the inlet lanes a in nest D passes diagonally between the tubes to the outlet lanes and thus to the central space and lower nest of tubes, and similarly through the inlet lanes a in the lower nest E of tubes to the outlet lanes, the Water of condensation being swept by the steam into the exit lanes and thus downward through the condenser to the hot well. In the upper bank of tubes D the lanes are shown as dividing the tubes, so that the steam generally passes over five tubes from the inlet lanes to the exit lanes, and in the lower nest of tubes generally over six tubes. It will be understood, however, that this particular size of groups into which the lanes divide the tubes is not essential, but that more or less tubes may be arranged between the inlet and exit lanes, according to the size and work of the condenser, This tube arrangement avoids dead spaces, produces a reduced friction and more uniform distribution of the steam, and avoids blanketing the tubes by the water of condensation. The exit lanes are preferably arranged vertically and those in the lower nest opposite those in the upper nest, so that the water of condensation falls through the lanes and that from the upper nest passes over only a few tubes of the lower nest, but this may be varied.

The construction shown in Fig. 2 is a twopass condenser, but with the condenser divided on an inclined line, instead of horizontally, as in Fig. 1, and the lower nest of tubes is divided by a single horizontal exit lane, in place of the vertical exit lanes of Fig. 1, so that the water falls across the exit lane from the upper part of the second nest, instead of longitudinally of the exit lane. One or more drain pipes 12 are preferably used to carry down the water of condensation falling on partition 10. With this construction shown in Fig. 2, the inlet lanes a and exit lanes 1) are arranged to divide the nest D of tubes so that the steam passes diagonally along eight tubes in passin to the exit lanes, and in the lower nest It of tubes, the steam passes to the exit lane I) through a substantially uniform group of ten tubes, so as to secure approximately uniform distribution and friction. In this type of condenser shown in Fig. 2, the hot steam passes down to the bottom of the condenser through the passage 0 between the lower nest of tubes and the condenser shell. This construction may be found desirable in cases where hot condensate is desired, but the arrangement of tubes shown in Fig. 1 will usually be preferred.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the particular construction or arrangement of tube nests or groups shown, but that these may be varied widely while retaining the invention defined by the claims, and that, while the invention has been illustrated as applied only in connection with two-pass condensers, the same arrangement of tubes may be used with a greater or less number of nests of tubes.

What is claimed is 1. In a surface condenser or the like, a nest of tubes arranged to form a plurality of exit lanes for the steam and condensate extending into the nest on the side of the tube nest opposite the steam entrance.

2. In a surface condenser or the like, a nest of tubes having exit lanes for the steam and condensate extending into the nest on the side of the tube nest opposite the steam entrance, and inlet lanes for the steam on the side of the nest at which the steam enters.

3. In a surface condenser or the like, a nest of tubes having inlet and exit lanes arranged to divide the tube nest into groups of tubes such as to secure the passage of each portion of the steam over substantially the same number of tubes in passing from the inlet to the exit lanes.

4. A surface condenser or the like, having a plurality of nests of tubes arranged one above the other, vertical inlet steam lanes on the side of each nest toward the steam entrance, vertical exit lanes on the side of each nest opposite the steam entrance, each of said lanes extending part way through the nest of tubes and the lanes dividing each nest of tubes into groups separating the inlet and exit lanes in such manner as to secure the passage of each portion of the steam over substantially the same number of tubes in each nest in passing from the inlet to the exit lanes.

5. A surface condenser or the like, having a plurality of nests of tubes arranged one above the other, vertical inlet steam lanes on the side of each nest toward the steam entrance, vertical exit lanes on the side of each nest opposite the. steam entrance, each of said lanes extending part way through the nest of tubes and the lanes dividing each nest of tubes into groups separating the inlet and exit lanes in such manner as to secure the passage of each portion of the steam over substantially the same number of tubes in each nest in passing from the inlet to the exit lanes, the exit lanes of the lower nest of tubes being arranged in line with the exit lanes of the upper nest of tubes.

6. A surface condenser or the like, having one or more nests of tubes divided into approximately equal groups of tubes by inlet lanes extending in the general direction of steam flow through the condenser, and exit lanes on the opposite side of the nest of tubes in relation to the steam flow, said exit lanes dividing said groups approximately into halves in the general direction of the steam flow.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS C. McBRIDE. 

